ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · hand · wake · ruler · pitcher · safe · row · last

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. last — final
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. row — to paddle
  5. hand — in cards
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hand — help
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fine — all right
  13. last — to go on
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fine — high quality
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. wake — a trail
  24. row — a line

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com